EU mercury limit order extends to measuring instruments

It is understood that at the beginning of 2012, the European Union officially announced the European Commission Regulation No. 847/2012, which amends the existing 18a (ie, mercury limit) clause in Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation, in which the mercury limit order extends to the measuring instrument.

The scope of prohibition of mercury applications has been further extended to this point, from the prohibition of thermometers and other measuring instruments sold to the public to the restriction of mercury use in industrial and occupational (including health care) measuring instruments. After April 10, 2014, such products will not be available in the EU market.

Some mercury-containing measuring instruments often bring people health, environmental, and other risks, so limiting the use of mercury is extremely necessary. At present, many mercury-free measuring instruments have been produced, so gradually taking mercury-containing measuring instruments will become a trend to make measurements more secure.

Industrial and occupational mercury-containing barometers, hygrometers, nanometers, sphygmomanometers, etc. have all become the measurement instruments restricted by the new regulations, but the sphygmomanometers used in some environments are not involved. In addition, mercury-containing products that currently have no viable alternatives, such as porosimeters, mercury electrodes used in voltammetry, and mercury probes used in capacitive voltage measurements, are not limited.

In addition, Commission Regulation No. 848/2012 further revise Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation so that the five phenylmercury compounds and articles may also be restricted in order to avoid the health and environmental risks. Phenylmercury acetate; Benzo Mercury Propionate, Phenylmercury 2-ethylhexanoate, Phenylmercaptoic acid, Phenylmercury neodecanoic acid, etc. have become subject to the restrictions of Annex XVII of the REACH Regulation.